Chapter 16 This Man Is Hers

The soldier scoffed with disdain.
“You say you won’t do it again?”
“Hmph. And how many disgusting crimes have you committed before this?”
“How many women have you harassed? How much money have you extorted from the weak?”
“You better come clean at the police station later—confess every last detail.”

“No…! I’ll confess, I’ll confess everything! Just don’t send us to the police!”
“Please, soldier sir, I beg you…”

The thug boss on the bottom panicked when he heard they’d be sent to the station. With what they did today, forget just ten or twenty years—he might even get the death penalty.

“Soldier sir, we were hired to do this! We were paid a hundred yuan by someone to cause trouble for this girl!”

Jiang Peiyu’s face turned cold. Someone paid them? She stormed over and slapped the thug.

“Say it—who sent you?”

“We don’t know her name. She’s a woman, fat, about your age…” the ringleader said.

The moment he described her, Jiang Peiyu knew exactly who it was: Xia Lizhu, that heartless traitor. Who else could it be?

Seeing the look on her face, the soldier asked,
“What? You know her?”
Jiang Peiyu nodded. “Mm.” She was about to speak when her second brother came running over, carrying a slab of pork belly.

“Xiaomei! Are you alright?”
“I heard there were thugs bothering you—I was scared to death. I’m never leaving you alone again!”

After buying the meat and returning to find his sister missing, Jiang Wenyan panicked. Nearby vendors said thugs had bullied her, and he couldn’t bear the thought of what might’ve happened.

When he saw Lu Huaijin sitting on the thugs, realization dawned.
“Brother Huaijin, you’re here too? You…”
Glancing at the three men under him, Jiang Wenyan instantly understood.
“You saved my little sister—Brother Huaijin, thank you so much!”

Then he walked up to the thugs and gave them a good kicking.
“This is for bullying my sister! I’ll kick you to death! Kick you to death!”

Lu Huaijin heard their exchange—“second brother”? “little sister”? He looked at Jiang Peiyu. Could this be the real daughter of the Jiang family? The one they’d finally found?

His mother had called earlier, saying Xia Lizhu had run off and the engagement might be off, but then he had been sent on a mission. He didn’t know if she’d updated him or what had happened since.

But looking at Jiang Peiyu now—her delicate face, big eyes, fair skin—she didn’t look 22 at all. More like a teenager.

Then Jiang Peiyu pointed at the thug leader.
“Second brother, he said Xia Lizhu paid them to come after me.”

Jiang Wenyan’s fury ignited. He felt murderous rage—if his sister hadn’t been lucky enough to meet Lu Huaijin today, and if he hadn’t returned quickly… he didn’t even want to think about what could’ve happened.

“What? That beast?! How could she?! Our family raised her for over twenty years…”
“We didn’t give her riches, but we never treated her badly…”
“She always got the best food. Even Yangyang had to wait his turn behind her…”

Jiang Wenyan then pulled his sister close.
“Don’t be scared, Xiaomei. We’ll report her—we’ll have the police arrest her and send her to jail.”

“Okay, second brother. The soldier already called the police—they’ll be here soon.”

Not long after, Wu Junmin returned in a police car with officers. A uniformed officer stepped out and warmly greeted Lu Huaijin.
“Commander.”

Lu Huaijin nodded and stood up.
“Mm. Take these three. Interrogate them thoroughly—there might be a bigger discovery.”

“Yes, Commander. Take them away!” the officer ordered.

Several police officers came forward and handcuffed the thugs, dragging them off.

“Commander, I’ll take my leave then. Let’s catch up another time.”

“Mm. Next time.”

After the police left, Wu Junmin approached.
“Commander, I’ll drive you home…”

Lu Huaijin ignored him and turned to Jiang Wenyan.
“Wenyan, did you bring the ox cart?”

“Yeah, it’s under the big tree over there.”

“Then I’ll ride with you back home.”
Then he turned to Wu Junmin.
“Find a guesthouse. Stay two nights. Pick me up the day after tomorrow.”

“Yes, sir.”

Riding in the ox cart, Jiang Peiyu kept sneaking glances at Lu Huaijin. Suddenly, a realization hit her. She pointed at him in surprise.
“Oh! I know now—you’re Xia Lizhu’s fiancé!”

No wonder he looked familiar. She’d seen him in photos. But in person, he was even more handsome and mature, radiating masculinity.

Jiang Peiyu swallowed. My god. Such a gorgeous man, and Xia Lizhu just threw him away?

No worries. She—Jiang Peiyu—declared ownership now. This man was hers. Wahahahaha…

Jiang Wenyan, driving the cart, glanced back and noticed his sister staring at Lu Huaijin like a lovestruck fool. He gave a fake cough to snap her out of it.

“Ahem… Xiaomei…”

“Oh…”
Realizing she’d been caught, Jiang Peiyu looked away shyly, her face flushing.

Inwardly, she scolded herself. Ugh, Jiang Peiyu! How could you be such a fangirl in front of a man?! You’ll scare him away if you keep this up!

Sitting across from her, Lu Huaijin’s lips curled into an almost imperceptible smile.

When they arrived at the village, Jiang Wenyan escorted Lu Huaijin to his doorstep.
“Thanks, Wenyan.”
“Brother Huaijin, no need to thank me—it was on the way. We’ll head home now.”
Jiang Peiyu waved at him with a smile.
“Bye, Brother Huaijin…”

For some reason, the corners of Lu Huaijin’s mouth lifted slightly again—then quickly disappeared.

He pushed the door open and entered the house. In the kitchen, Wang Juying was cooking dinner.
“Mom.”
“Son, you’re back!”
Seeing her son return, Wang Juying was overjoyed.
“Yeah, I passed through the city on a mission. It’s done now, so I came back to check on you. I’ll be leaving again the day after tomorrow.”
“So soon? Come in quickly—look at you, you’ve gotten so thin. Tonight, I’ll kill a chicken to nourish you a bit.”
“No need, Mom. I’m fine with whatever.”
“No ‘no need’—listen to your mother. Go inside and rest.”

Lu Huaijin had no choice but to head to his room. He opened the wardrobe and changed into a white tank top, then went out to the backyard to chop firewood.

Wang Juying saw it but didn’t say anything and continued cooking. Her son always insisted on helping out with chores when he came home—there was no talking him out of it.

Once the rice was cooking, the chicken was butchered and stewing, and the vegetables chopped, Wang Juying thought about the engagement and wiped her hands before heading to the backyard.

“Son, I called you twice, but the unit said you weren’t around.”
“Let me tell you, the Jiang family—they found their real daughter.”
“She’s really pretty. Fair-skinned, delicate, with a tiny little face—at first glance…”

Lu Huaijin saw how excited his mother was, so he interrupted her.
“I saw her today.”